


The Courage of a Woman

by Cantatrice18



Category: Vandread
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Character Study, Gen, Heroism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-27
Updated: 2012-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-31 20:05:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/347876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What the Captain was thinking as the seconds counted down to their destruction, and how she knew BC's past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Courage of a Woman

_“Tarak Empire Special Information Bureau: Tenmei Uragasumi. Rank: Commander. ID-Code: Kanoe-2038. Begin confirmation.” ___

For an instant she had been worried. The clock had counted down the seconds as she’d watched her Vice-captain’s agitation grow. But then, at the last moment, BC’s long fingers had darted up to the necklace she always wore and a strange, masculine voice had emanated from her body, reciting the code that would save all of their lives. In that moment Magno Vivan had felt prouder than she could have believed possible. 

She’d known for a long time that BC was not what she appeared to be. The Vice-captain had always been strangely distant around the rest of the crew, as though she’d never really seen the way women interacted before. Even when she grew more comfortable she still remained cautious, an odd trait for so assertive a woman. It had not taken much deduction for the Captain to realize what was wrong. It was only to be expected that Tarak would send a spy to infiltrate the ship, but it was the lengths to which they’d gone that stunned her. Any fool could see the femininity of BC’s body, from the curves of her breasts to the gentle slope of her waist as it met her wide hips. The commanders of Tarak Intelligence had made one of their own into a woman, so desperate were they for information. At first the knowledge had appalled and even disgusted her, but her feelings had changed to confusion and sadness as she’d watched BC from afar. The man BC had once been was buried so deeply inside of her that it was only revealed in miniscule ways, while the young woman she’d become blossomed and matured with each passing day. It was after weeks of observation that Magno Vivan realized what should have been obvious at the start: the commanders of Tarak would never have forced any man into taking such a mission - it went against everything they believed about their superiority to women. That could only mean one thing: BC must have volunteered. She wanted to be a woman, that much was clear, wanted it enough to risk being ostracized by her own people. And she had become a woman, a wonderful and courageous woman who meant more to the crew than she would ever know. 

And it was that very same courage that had led her to give up everything she’d built for herself, throw away every friendship, even risk her own life, all to save them from her own people. Now she stood, steadfast as ever, calling for guards to escort her – a “spy” – to the ship’s brig. Magno Vivan felt a horrible, aching pain begin in her chest as she looked at her second-in-command. “I’m sorry about this. There was no other way.”

BC spun, her eyes wide and questioning. “You knew, then?”

The Captain did not answer, and she did not need to. BC smiled her familiar half-smile that she used whenever the Captain surprised or outwitted her. “Though I have deceived you for many days, one truth remains. You are a truly marvelous person. I am proud of the fact that, if only for a short while, I was able to serve under you.”

Magno Vivan closed her eyes, bowing her head. The praise felt undeserved. The most remarkable person of all was BC herself, and the pride that filled the Captain’s body was for the Vice-captain with a spirit so strong that she could stand erect and commanding before them, prepared for the onslaught of hatred and distrust from men and women alike. Someday, the Captain promised herself, she would make sure that BC received the honor that was due to her. Until that time, all she could manage was a swift prayer for her Vice-captain’s safety in a world filled with enemies and fools.


End file.
